1 INTRODUCTION
1. In November 2002 we decided to conduct
an inquiry to assess the extent to which the UK is taking advantage
of the opportunities for the funding of science and technology
research offered by the EU Framework Programmes; and the effectiveness
of existing EU mechanisms for funding this research. The inquiry
was announced on 21 November 2002 with the following terms of
reference:
- To evaluate whether the UK
is getting value for money from the Framework Programmes;
- To assess whether the Government is doing enough
to promote the participation of UK research establishments and
industry in the Sixth Framework Programme and the European Research
Area;
- To assess whether the process for obtaining EU
funds is sufficiently transparent and straightforward;
- To consider whether there is continuity between
successive framework programmes;
- To establish what is the potential impact of
EU enlargement, and what changes are needed for Framework Programme
7;
- To assess whether the process for the selection
of priority areas and the awarding of funding to projects is fair
and the balance between pure and applied research right; and whether
the time frame for funding projects is adequate;
- To consider what the best role of EU research
institutions such as the Joint Research Centre is; and whether
they are cost effective;
- To establish what UK policy should be towards
the proposals for a European Research Council; and
- To consider whether the allocation of funding
through the EURATOM programme is right.
2. The purpose of this inquiry is to highlight
relevant issues relating to the effectiveness and scope of Framework
Programmes 5 and 6 and to analyse the UK Government's contribution
to the preparation of Framework Programme 7. Our recommendations
apply principally to the UK Government and the Research Councils.
3. We use the term "value for money"
in a broader sense than the juste retour of the UK receiving
back the same amount in funding to UK projects as it contributes
to the Framework Programmes. It is not possible to attribute precise
financial values to all the costs and benefits of the Framework
Programmes—some are by their nature unquantifiable. The
Committee's assessment of value for money includes:
- The scale of UK involvement
in Framework Programme 6 (FP6) projects;
- The number of patents and papers published with
UK involvement;
- The added value of the UK participating in FP6
projects—contacts made and networks developed; and
- The cost of the UK not getting anything from
the Framework Programmes—financially and politically.
4. We have received over 30 written submissions.
We held three oral evidence sessions between February and April
2003 with eight sets of witnesses, representing the Research Councils,
Learned Societies, universities, industry (large and small), and
the Government. We made one visit relating to the inquiry, to
the European Commission in Brussels on 9-10 February 2003, where
we met: representatives from UKREP; Commissioner Philippe Busquin,
Mr Hugh Richardson, Mr Richard Escritt, Mr Peter Kind and staff
of the Research Directorate-General; Mr David Wilkinson and Ms
Geraldine Barry of the Joint Research Institute; and Dr Martin
Penny of the UK Research Office.
5. The Committee notes that a French Parliamentary
Committee, Délégation pour les Affaires Européennes,
is holding an inquiry titled "Information Report on European
Research Policy". The inquiry aims to evaluate European Research
Policy and examine the relevance of new instruments of FP6, e.g.
Networks of Excellence and Integrated Projects, and to take into
account the state of European research compared to its partners,
namely the United States.[1]
We heard in Brussels that the French Government was generally
sceptical of the Commission's competence and management ability.
The Chairman met Daniel Garrigue (a Member of the Assemble Nationale
and the Delegation to the European Union) in June to discuss the
two inquiries and mutual concerns over the process, and we look
forward to receiving the Report of the French Committee in due
course.
6. We are grateful to all those who have
assisted in the inquiry, and in particular to our Specialist Advisers:
Professor Derek Burke, CBE, DL, Member of the European Group on
Life Sciences; Professor John Enderby, CBE, FRS, of Bristol University
and Vice-President of the Royal Society; and Professor Ken Pounds,
CBE, FRS, of the University of Leicester (formally Chief Executive
of PPARC).
1 http://www.assemblee-nat.fr/english/8an.asp. Back
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